This invention relates to an improved flexible seal construction, and is particularly directed to providing an elastomer injection dry seal especially designed for use between a curved transparency such as an aircraft windshield and a supporting member, which are assembled and connected together by bolts.
In assembling curved transparencies such as a curved windshield in an aircraft, a solid or dry seal is positioned in a space between the inner surface of the windshield and the support member, and thereafter bolts are inserted in suitable bolt holes in the curved windshield and the support member and the bolts are torqued to mount the windshield in fixed position on the support member. When the bolts are turned down, the seal member is compressed to effect a seal between the curved windshield and the support member.
However, curved transparencies such as a curved aircraft windshield are very difficult to install on a supporting member due to bolt hole misalignment caused by the initial placement of the uncompressed dry seal between the curved transparency and the support member prior to insertion of the bolts.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,517,472 to Toth describes a structure comprising a hollow passage into which a catalyzed liquid resin such as polyurethane foam is injected, which expands into engagement with and actuates a locking mechanism which permanently locks the members in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,159,886 to Lynch discloses a sealing strip for automobile doors by injecting a foamed-in-place elastomeric resin for a certain distance within a tubular sealing member to provide a reinforcing filler.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,829 to Daniels discloses an inflatible connector employing a rigid foaming type resin to actuate a clamping mechanism.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel seal construction and method for producing same.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a seal construction particularly designed for placement between parts, such as curved transparencies, especially a curved aircraft windshield, and a supporting member, while maintaining the parts in aligned spaced relation, so as to avoid misalignment of bolt holes in the respective parts, prior to insertion of the bolts.
A further object of the invention is to provide a dry seal of the above type and a method for producing same, which embodies the ease of installation of a wet injection seal.
The above and other objects will be apparent from the following description of the invention.